(26-01-12) Choose healthy lifestyle, nutritious food over hormone replacement therapy for menopause symptoms

by Cindy Jones-Shoeman


(NaturalNews) It's understandable that a woman would like to avoid discomfort while going through menopause. After all, what woman likes having hot flashes or experiencing vaginal dryness? The problem, though, is that taking hormones is not the answer. Natural News has covered the multiple dangers of hormone replacement therapy (HRT), warning women that HRT can possibly cause asthma, ovarian and breast cancer, and other unwanted ailments. Avoiding a hot flash is not worth the trade for breast cancer.

So what can women do to ease the symptoms of menopause while staying safe? There are a few natural remedies that won't leave women worse off than when they started.
Regular exercise
According to Patient UK, regular exercise can be a good way to manage the symptoms of menopause. The site recommends aerobic activities that involve sustained effort, like swimming. Weight-bearing exercise can also be beneficial and could help combat osteoporosis later in life as well because this kind of exercise helps build bone. Yoga can be helpful because of its relaxing effect on the body.

Also, because regular exercise can help with general overall physical and mental health, this alone might be all a woman needs to do to feel better during the change.
Healthy eating habits
Like exercise, healthy eating habits are something that will benefit a woman regardless of what stage of life she's in. However, it's best to avoid some of those items that often wind up on "bad" food lists. Such foods to avoid would include foods high in sodium, as well as food and beverages with caffeine, sugar and alcohol. It also might help to cut out spicy and processed foods.

Holistic Online recommends that menopausal women focus on consuming foods that are high in fiber and low in fat because those foods will help the body adjust to its new state more quickly. Obviously, one of the best ways to get lots of fiber while decreasing the fat in one's diet is to eat more plant-based foods, such as leafy green vegetables, beans, sea vegetables, and fruits and vegetables high in antioxidants.
Herbal remedies
Many women would prefer an herbal remedy to a pill. Fortunately, there are a variety to choose from that offer different benefits. For example, some herbs might be helpful because, by putting relatively low doses of plant hormones in the body, they can counteract some of the symptoms menopause can cause. Primrose oil is one such herbal remedy. Studies have suggested that black cohosh might also be effective at minimizing hot flashes. Other remedies include herbs like ginseng and gingko biloba.

No one says women should have to suffer through menopause, but why should a woman suffer from damage caused by treating those symptoms with HRT? A healthy lifestyle, including eating nutritious foods and exercising, supplemented with herbal remedies, might be the safest way to combat menopause.

Sources for this article include:

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/hormone-therapy/WO00046

http://www.naturalnews.com/028512_HRT_drugs_asthma.html

http://www.naturalnews.com/027617_HRT_drugs_ovarian_cancer.html

http://www.naturalnews.com/027617_HRT_drugs_ovarian_cancer.html

http://www.patient.co.uk/health/Menopause-Alternatives-to-HRT.htm

http://www.livestrong.com/article/27881-natural-alternatives-hrt/

http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=51885

http://www.holisticonline.com/remedies/hrt/hrt_food_diet.htm

http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Hormone-replacement-therapy/Pages/Alternatives.aspx

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